Ballroom Dancing Music

There was a time when the movements in ballroom dancing were precise and slow and the instruments usually used for ballroom dancing music were cellos and violins. The music these instruments produced was very appropriate for the way ballroom dancing was done back then. However, with the passing of the years, the dancing as well as the music has changed and today, ballroom dancing music typically incorporates a lot more instruments.

Today, the music depends on what kind of dance is being performed. Considering that there are several different kinds of ballroom dances and so many variations of each one, you can just imagine the diversity of the music that goes with them. So let's take a look at the music that goes along with some of the ballroom dances of today.

The music for the Spanish dance Paso Doble is very fast and dramatic. The dance is about how brave and agile a bullfighter is and the girl is used like the cape which the matador uses. The music is usually instrumental but is intense and could have acoustic guitars and horns as well.

The Jive is a quick, upbeat dance that has music that matches as well. There is a lot of fast movement and a lot of twirling and kicking. The songs that are great for the Jive are "Born to Hand Jive" and Elvis' "Hound Dog." These have just the right tempo for this dance and any music like this is great for the Jive. It is a dance that lets the dancers express themselves.

Evolving in the 1920's from a combination of the Foxtrot, Charleston, Shag, Peabody, and One Step, the Quickstep has very quick and concise steps and the music for this is instrumental with a tempo that is upbeat, such as ragtime era jazz music. A favorite song for the Quickstep is Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing."

One of the most popular ballroom dances is the Foxtrot. It can be tough to learn and master this dance but those who perform it well are a dream to watch as they glide around the dance floor to the slow-quick-quick-slow rhythm. Music for the Foxtrot should not be too fast or too slow and needs to be chosen carefully. Shakira's "Underneath Your Clothes" or Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" are good choices for the Foxtrot. Since this dance is viewed as formal and very upper-crust, choosing the right music is very important.

One dance that is lively and rather flirty is the Cha Cha. This is a fast dance and has a lot of quick movement of the feet as well as shaking of the hips. It's rather easy to choose the music for this one and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" and Shakira's "Whenever, Wherever" are good musical choices for the Cha Cha.

These are just a few examples of the best music for different types of ballroom dances. However, a musical selection can also be used for different ballroom dances, as long as the dances are similar enough in that they follow the same time beat in the music. Therefore, you may find couples dancing different ballroom dances to the same song on the dance floor, and this variety makes ballroom dancing all the more interesting to watch as well as participate in.

 

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